Was Sam a lefty?

After viewing another thread, where it was taking the cumilative efforts of 7 people to get Tab-A into Slot-B, (no wonder so many of the forum members are divorced!) I noted a question about Sam's design of the Colt revolver as more suited to a left handed person than a right handed individual.

Is it possible that Sam was a lefty, did he design the gun to be used as a weapon for the left hand, or was he just not thinking about how inconvinient it would be for a right handed person to operate his invention.

:front:

 

[jim gray]

I noted a question about Sam's design of the Colt revolver as more suited to a left handed person than a right handed individual.

During the time that C&B revolvers were in use the standard method of employment by the cavalry (who used more revolvers than all other branches) was to use the saber in the right hand and the revolver in the left. I'm pretty sure that Mr. Colt designed his handgun with an eye toward military sales.

Mine seem better suited to loading right handed, but I must admit I haven't tried to load left handed.

 

Didn't think about it, but now I see, as I am a southpaw, Sam's 1851 Navy is very convenient for me to load while my "right" one shooting buddies fumble a lot with them.

I really think ol' Sam had the cavalry in mind.

 

I dunno - seems to me a C&B revolver is more suited to ambidextrous use than many other types of firearms. I think they are easier to cap for a right handed person and shooting is equal in either hand. They are centrally balanced and have no ejector rod like a SAA plus I don't think it makes any difference which side the wedge drives from. I am right handed and have no trouble handling, loading or shooting one. However, I also have no idea whether Sam was a lefty...

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Perhaps Sam was ambidextrous? As a confirmed righty, I have no problems handling my Colts. It does seem that Colts were designed to be held in the left hand when capping. And the cylinder rotation would seem to encourage charging with powder and positioning the ball for ramming with the right hand. At least, that's how I do it.

 

[ValleyForge]

I think I been dissed.....
Well, wot th' hell.

Anyway - I think most of the Civil War era military holsters I've seen were worn on the left side, butt forward, which would indicate they were meant for right hand firing -- the sabre argument is intriguing, though.

Maybe that was my problem with Tab-A into Tab-B. Maybe I was butt forward, too....

The wife thinks so.

 

[jim gray]

 

[bezoar]

Not trying to be picky or obnoxious but swords were carried with the handle at the left hip. Pistols were carried at the right hip with a butt forward holster, the right hand pulled the flap up and the left hand drew the revolver where it was used in the left hand or transfered to the right hand.

 

[ValleyForge]

OK, I stand corrected. Butt forward, too.

 

[unspellable]

I don't think the Colt revolver becomes truely left handed until you get to the Model P or Single Action Army. The cartridge loading gate and ejector rod being on the right side sure seem like a left handed design.

The cap & ball revolvers seem more ambidextrous.

 

[Cruzatte]

I'm not so sure that the perc. Colts can be considered left-handed. Seems to me that while capping one, you hold it in your left hand, while handling the cap or capper with the right. Being left-handed myself, it would seem that a right handed person would find this process quite natural. Me, I used to fumble like crazy with them little nipple huggers. Handling a capper in my right hand was worse.:shake:

Cruzatte

 

Not sure all lefty's liked the SAA either. I remember reading about some famous gunfighter whose name, of course, slips my mind right now, but he apparently liked the S&W top break revolver because it was more universal to handle than the Colt (might have been Dallas Stoudenmire but can't recall). I still believe Colts were designed primarily for right handed use since the majority of users would have been of that persuasion but that is only my opinion.

 

[JeffS]

My understanding is that the "horse pistols" were to be used on horseback by men holding reigns in right hand and shooting with left. The idea was to make a gun that could be used one handed, and short enough to not be a hassle on horseback. Single action pistols are definitely left hand friendly. Being left handed myself I have noticed that. I do a lot of cowboy action shooting, and notice loading a single action is a right handed job. If truely made for left handers I think they would have the loading gate on the left side. Also, the cut-away for capping is on the right side on a cap and ball revolver.
:m2c:

Jeff

 

[peter]

Mr Colt was indeed left handed, and I have seen this subject discussed in books that were written a hundred years ago. History doesn't change, we just forget the answers and have to ask the questions all over again.